Archaeological Research & Consultancy at the University of Sheffield Graduate School of Archaeology West Court, 2 Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 4DT Phone 0114 2225106 Fax 0114 2797158 Report 1169.1(1) Desk-based Assessment of Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment Works, Nottinghamshire April 2008 By Sean Bell Prepared for: Severn Trent Water Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment Works, Nottinghamshire National Grid Reference: SK 637 421 (centred) Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Report 1169.1(1) © ARCUS 2008 Checked by: Passed for submission to client: Date: Date: Sean Bell Glyn Davies ARCUS Project Archaeologist ARCUS Senior Project Manager Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment, Stoke Lane, Nottingham ARCUS 1169.1(1) – April 2008 1 OASIS SUMMARY FORM PROJECT DETAILS OASIS identifier arcus2-38634 Project title Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment, Stoke Lane, Nottingham. Short description of the ARCUS was commissioned by Severn Trent Water to undertake a desk-based assessment of project land at Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment Works, Nottingham. The most significant archaeological site within the proposal area is an undated double linear feature with an associated circular enclosure, that was recorded within the site’s northernmost field on a 1975 aerial photograph. The proposal area lies outside the historic core of the village and its medieval field system and is unlikely to contain significant archaeological remains dating from this or later periods. Based on the disturbance associated with the sewage works, along with the low archaeological potential in the 2 fields under consideration, it is proposed that an archaeological watching brief is undertaken during any removal of the current topsoil or sewage waste in these fields. During the watching brief, particular attention should be paid to the northern field in which cropmarks were visible on the 1975 aerial photograph. Project dates April 2008 Previous/future work None/not known. Monument type and period None. Significant finds None. (artefact type and period) PROJECT LOCATION County/Parish Nottinghamshire/Stoke Bardolph Site address Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment Works, Stoke Lane, Stoke Bardolph, Nottinghamshire. Site co-ordinates SK 637 421 (centred). Site area Height OD PROJECT CREATORS Organisation Severn Trent Water Project brief originator Severn Trent Water Project design originator N/a Project manager Glyn Davies Site Supervisor Sean Bell Sponsor or funding body Severn Trent Water PROJECT ARCHIVES Archive Type Location/Accession no. Content (e.g. pottery, metalwork, etc) Physical N/a N/a Paper Nottinghamshire SMR Report (text, illustrations, plates) Digital Nottinghamshire SMR Report (pdf copy) BIBLIOGRAPHY Title Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment, Stoke Lane, Nottingham Report no 1169.1(1) Author Sean Bell Date April 2008 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment, Stoke Lane, Nottingham ARCUS 1169.1(1) – April 2008 2 CONTENTS OASIS SUMMARY FORM .................................................................................................. 2 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND PLATES ............................................................................ 4 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY........................................................................................... 5 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 6 2 AIMS AND METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 6 2.1 Aims.......................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Data Collection......................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Site Visit ................................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Geotechnical Data.................................................................................................... 6 2.5 Planning Framework................................................................................................ 6 3 SITE LOCATION AND LAND USE ...............................................................................7 4 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SUMMARY ....................................................7 4.1 Prehistoric ............................................................................................................... 8 4.2 Roman ...................................................................................................................... 8 4.3 Medieval ................................................................................................................... 8 4.4 Post-medieval........................................................................................................... 9 4.5 Modern..................................................................................................................... 9 5 CURRENT CONDITION OF THE SITE AND EXISTING FEATURES............................ 10 6 ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRESERVATION AND POTENTIAL ............................................11 7 RECOMMENDATIONS..............................................................................................11 8 COPYRIGHT............................................................................................................. 12 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES............................................................................... 12 10 GAZETTEER OF KNOWN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES ............................................... 14 11 ILLUSTRATIONS AND PLATES................................................................................. 15 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment, Stoke Lane, Nottingham ARCUS 1169.1(1) – April 2008 3 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND PLATES Illustrations 1 Site location 2 Location of known archaeological sites and find spots 3 1796 Enclosure Award map 4 1873 Map of Stoke Bardolph 5 1928 Drainage plan and proposed sewage treatment works Plates 1 General view of Stoke Farm, looking east. 2 View along water channel forming north-west boundary of east field, looking southwest. 3 View of tree plantation in north-east corner of east field, showing young trees and surrounding vegetation, looking south-east. 4 View along north-west boundary of east field, looking south-west, showing edge of ploughed surface. 5 General view across east field, looking north-west, showing ploughed surface. 6 View of south-east corner of north field, looking south, showing scrub grassland with sewage treatment works beyond. 7 View across north field, looking south-west towards by-pass road, showing recently deposited material and standing water. 8 View across north field looking east towards hills beyond River Trent, showing recently deposited material, machine tracks and standing water. 9 View of former east end of north field, looking south, showing ploughed surface examined to characterise deposits within the proposal area to north of the treatment works. 10 View, looking west, along access road from Stoke Farm. 11 View along road at north-east boundary of east field, looking north. 12 View along road running to north of north field, looking south-east. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment, Stoke Lane, Nottingham ARCUS 1169.1(1) – April 2008 4 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY ARCUS was commissioned by Severn Trent Water to undertake a desk-based assessment of land at Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment Works, Nottingham (centred on SK 637 421). The assessment was required in relation to a planned extension of the sewage works and included a site visit, along with documentary and cartographic research. The site lies within the Trent Valley, which was a focus for human activity during the prehistoric and Roman periods. Trent Valley river gravels have yielded archaeological evidence of fauna, flora and human occupation. However, these deposits and features are often located at considerable depth and the visibility of potential sub-surface archaeology within the site may have been reduced by the regular spreading of waste materials from the sewage farm and the later sewage treatment works across the agricultural areas of Stoke Farm. The most significant archaeological feature within the proposal area, is an undated double linear feature with an associated circular enclosure, that was recorded within the site’s northernmost field on a 1975 aerial photograph. The proposal area lies outside the historic core of Stoke Bardolph village and its medieval field system and is unlikely to contain significant archaeological remains dating from the medieval period or later. No evidence for any such deposits or structures was identified during the walkover survey. Based on the disturbance associated with the sewage works, resulting in the low archaeological potential of the 2 fields under consideration, it is proposed that an archaeological watching brief should be undertaken during any removal of the current topsoil or sewage waste in these fields. During the watching brief, particular attention should be paid to the northern field in which cropmarks were visible on the 1975 aerial photograph. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, Stoke Bardolph Sewage Treatment, Stoke Lane, Nottingham ARCUS 1169.1(1) – April 2008 5 1 INTRODUCTION This document presents the results of an archaeological